A Sports Photography Primer

Up your game with essential sports photography techniques, and capture the energy and excitement of athletes in action!

Get ready to turn your dream sports shots into reality! Join award-winning photographer Scott Markewitz and discover the techniques that have garnered him more than 450 magazine covers. Master exposure essentials and discover how to shoot individuals and teams to showcase every athlete at their best. Create dramatic, dynamic effects by panning or freezing action, and take control of challenging lighting situations — indoors and out. Explore wide-angle and telephoto lenses for diverse images, and switch up your depth of field for new perspectives. Find and frame creative, unexpected compositions, and step up your skills for action-packed shots that impress, inspire and awe!

Lesson plan

Lesson 1. Intro to Sports Photography

Meet your instructor, acclaimed sports photographer Scott Markewitz, as he shares the characteristics of a good sports photo and the essential equipment you’ll need to take amazing shots.

17:18

Lesson 2. Basics of Sports Photography

Learn how to use your camera’s settings and the principles of focus and composition to capture compelling images of athletes.

13:47

Lesson 3. Shooting Groups Outdoors

Master working with natural light from any direction and learn how to get the most out of flat light. See how framing gets more complicated and essential as you add players in your shot, and use depth of field to create dynamic compositions without distracting backgrounds.

14:56

Lesson 4. Shooting Individuals Outdoors

Scott shares a study in horizon and perspective as he captures the action at a local skateboard park. Learn how lens selection can change a scene as Scott shoots with wide-angle and telephoto lenses. Scott also shows how strobes can add depth and dimension to photos — even on a sunny day.

24:34

Lesson 5. Shooting Indoors

Shooting indoors brings new challenges as well as some exciting options. Learn how to adjust your settings for indoors, add motion blur to photos, freeze the action and create dramatic images using strobes. Then, Scott leads a discussion on how to use those techniques outdoors as well.

15:35

Lesson 6. Developing Your Vision

Sports photography isn’t just about catching the action; it’s also a powerful way to tell stories about the athlete and the sport. Learn how to find inspiration and develop your own style.

10:52

Lesson 7. Workflow & Postproduction

Learn how using the photo software programs Adobe Bridge and Adobe Lightroom can make quick work of the often arduous process of organizing and color-correcting photos. Scott also shows you some simple yet stunning creative effects that will transform your photos.

“Cannot thank you enough! I love, love, love ... the assortment of classes, as well as the fact that I can watch the lessons at my own pace, the instructions, the ability to write myself notes, etc. I also love the fact that the classes are for life! Thank you again for such a fantastic and wonderful site for just about everything I love to do!” - HARVESTMOONSierra Foothills, CA

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Lesson plan

3:49

Lesson 1. Intro to Sports Photography

Meet your instructor, acclaimed sports photographer Scott Markewitz, as he shares the characteristics of a good sports photo and the essential equipment you’ll need to take amazing shots.

17:18

Lesson 2. Basics of Sports Photography

Learn how to use your camera’s settings and the principles of focus and composition to capture compelling images of athletes.

13:47

Lesson 3. Shooting Groups Outdoors

Master working with natural light from any direction and learn how to get the most out of flat light. See how framing gets more complicated and essential as you add players in your shot, and use depth of field to create dynamic compositions without distracting backgrounds.

14:56

Lesson 4. Shooting Individuals Outdoors

Scott shares a study in horizon and perspective as he captures the action at a local skateboard park. Learn how lens selection can change a scene as Scott shoots with wide-angle and telephoto lenses. Scott also shows how strobes can add depth and dimension to photos — even on a sunny day.

24:34

Lesson 5. Shooting Indoors

Shooting indoors brings new challenges as well as some exciting options. Learn how to adjust your settings for indoors, add motion blur to photos, freeze the action and create dramatic images using strobes. Then, Scott leads a discussion on how to use those techniques outdoors as well.

15:35

Lesson 6. Developing Your Vision

Sports photography isn’t just about catching the action; it’s also a powerful way to tell stories about the athlete and the sport. Learn how to find inspiration and develop your own style.

10:52

Lesson 7. Workflow & Postproduction

Learn how using the photo software programs Adobe Bridge and Adobe Lightroom can make quick work of the often arduous process of organizing and color-correcting photos. Scott also shows you some simple yet stunning creative effects that will transform your photos.

The instructor

Scott Markewitz, Instructor of A Sports Photography Primer

Scott Markewitz is recognized as one of the most influential outdoor photographers in the industry. His images have appeared in campaigns for Adobe, Tag Heuer, J. Crew, Charles Schwab, Red Bull, Oakley and many more. Men's Journal featured him as one of the World's Greatest Adventure Photographers. He is the only photographer in Ski Magazine's list of the 100 Most Influential Skiers of All Time and the recipient of Ski Utah's Excellence in Journalism Award.

You should already know how your camera works and a bit about how the camera's settings affect your photos. Scott will share solutions to some of sports photography's unique concerns, including capturing the action in a variety of lights and different effects you can create with motion.